30 Days of Encouragement - Day 5

When we encourage people to come to God, we tell them that He will help them in every situation. We tell them He will never leave them or forsake them. We say that He will fight their battles, provide for them, lead them, guide them, deliver them, and above all that He will save them.

This is true but, what we many times fail to tell them is that these promises are only for those who come to Him on His terms. For some reason, perhaps in our zeal to spread the good news, we neglect to tell the whole tale.

Does our not telling the whole tale cause the truth of God's promises any less desirable? No, of course not! However, not telling the whole tale may make us seem like we are trying to sell a product without revealing the side effects.

I bought a microphone. It is a great piece of equipment. But, they didn't tell me that I couldn't use it unless I bought an additional piece of equipment. The microphone needed a bolt that did not come with in the box.

I looked back at the website and didn't find anywhere that told me I would need to buy a bolt. So, I decided that the box packer had forgotten to pack that piece.

I looked back at the website and didn't find anywhere that told me I would need to buy a bolt. So, I decided that the box packer had forgotten to pack that piece.

Being innovative, I went looking for a bolt that might fit from my local Home Depot. I talked to a guy who took me to all of the places they keep bolts. We went down three aisles and tried several bolts, but nothing fit. nothing.

Suddenly, the guy helping me looked up and seeing another guy shouted, "Just the guy I am looking for!" He was talking about the old guy that everyone goes to.

You know the guy who has worked there over 60 years and knows everything about everything... that guy. He took one look and said, "This is a metric piece and, we don't have anything to fit it."

That was good enough for me....

So, being the wonderful person that I am, I contacted the mic company and requested a replacement mic. The new mic came, but that same piece missing!

This time I called and got a level two support person whose name is Chip. Chip sympathized with me making me feel very important. Chip scoured the website and found that it had been updated to include the fact that the bolt I needed would have to be purchased separately.

Chip blessed me by giving me a $10 credit. The bolt cost $4, so I was ahead by $6. Chip helped guide me through the process. He acted like my mic intercessor. He stood in the gap making it possible for me to set up and use my new mic.

When we tell people just the good things we get by coming to God, we are leaving them to discover that there is a mortal enemy who is going to fight against us. We leave them to wonder why things are now more difficult, why their friends have turned against them, why turmoil has increased around them.

We leave them to try and find reasons for themselves. They could be like I was, in the right store, but talking to the wrong person. We need to let them know a little about the challenges, difficulties, and attacks that are coming their way.

Do we cause them to fear? Of course not! Can we tell it all? Of course not! What can we tell them?

We can tell them that although trouble is coming they have help. If they trust, the Lord will lead them to the information they need to fight. The Holy Spirit will teach them if they stay in the Word of God. The Holy Spirit will lead them if they trust the Word of God. The Holy Spirit will teach them to fight if they lean not to their understanding and acknowledge God in all their ways.

We will help them if we tell them that praise is a weapon and that worship brings the presence of God to the scene. We will help them if we tell them that they are not crazy and that all Hell is truly breaking loose all around them. We will give them hope if we tell them our testimony of deliverance.

God has a "way" that He has designed and desires us to walk. Our way must submit to His way. Our way and His way are complete opposites.

For we war not after the flesh and, without faith it is impossible to please God.... We help them by encouraging them to stand on the Word of God, in the face of any difficulties and in the face of all challenges to the faith.

Let us be encouraged to believe that the whole truth can be protected by the Spirit of God, because it is His truth.

Be blessed [Hebrews 11:6].